Plural keyboard typewriting machine



Jan. 19, 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ET AL PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE 8 Sheerls-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 Jan. 19, 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ET AL 2,666,515

FLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 19, 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ET AL PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 m mm 29 10% gm wwm%m mm NN mm mm mm NW m mik wi f Invnlorf Jan. 19, 1954 Filed Dec.

C. W. BRUMHILL ET AL PLURAL KEYBOARD 'TYPEWRITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 I Invenlom m 1/ mol g A Jan. 19, 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ET AL PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRIITING MACHINE Filed Dec.

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 19, 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ETAL PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 19, 1950 Jan. 1 9, 1954 C. W. BRUMHILL ET AL PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 I nvenlors 1954 c. w. BRUMHILL ET AL 2,

PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1950 a Sheets-Sheet a Patented Jan. 19, 1954 PLURAL KEYBOARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE' Claude Wellington Brumhill,

Leicester, and

Arthur Pateman, Rothley, England, assignors to The Imperial Typewriter Company Limited,

Leicester, England Application December 19, 1950, Serial No. 201,638

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 20, 1949 This invention concerns typewriting and like machines and its chief object is the provision of a. machine which has more than one keyboard, which keyboards may be employed alternatively at the will of the operator, Thus for example there may be one keyboard employing ordinary characters and another keyboard employing different characters such for example as mathematical or chemical symbols or the characters of a foreign alphabet.

With this object in view the invention provides a typewriter or like machine having a plurality of keyboard units each of which is of the type comprising a keyboard with type heads operable, by manipulation of keys, to strike at a typing station, and thereby to co-operate with a reciprocatable and rotatable platen, the typing stations of the several units being spaced apart, and a common carriage unit bodily displaceable into operative association with any selected unit, which carriage unit comprises a runway, a slide reciprocatably mounted thereon, and a platen rotatably carried by the slide with its axis disposed in the direction of reciprocation. It will readily be appreciated that by shifting the carriage unit into association with any selected one of the keyboard units the machine is brought into condition to use the keyboard of that unit and this change-over is effected without in any way restricting the travel of the platen or restricting that portion of the length of the platen that may usefully be employed.

The keyboard units (which may be two or more in number) are preferably located side by side in which case the carriage unit is mounted in the machine for bodily displacement from one unit to another in the axial direction of th platen. I

In this construction'the danger may occur that during displacement of the carriage unit and particularly when the carriage unit is brought to rest in its new position, the platen may shift endwise in relation to this unit; In order to avoid this possibility it is preferred-"to provide the machine with means for locking the slide against movement along the runway during displacement of the carriage unit.

According to an important subsidiary feature of the invention the carriage unit incorporates means for traversing the platen in typing, and a control connection for said means, and each keyboard unit comprises :an operating connec tion operable by actuation of the keys to operate the control connection when the barriage unit is associated with that keyboard unit.

8 Claims. (Cl. 197-5) According to a further important feature of the invention the runway, slide, and platen are comprised in a carriage which is bodily removable from the machine. This permits the substi tution of carriages bearing platens'of differing lengths. For this purpose the carriage unit preferably comprises a base and means for detachably mounting the runway of the carriage thereon. In such an arrangement the machine may incorporate the slide locking mechanism forming the subject of British Letters Patent 548,059 and/or a draw-band anchorage arrangement forming the subject matter of British Letters Patent 547,895.

Ribbon feeding mechanism may be provided in association with each keyboard unit, but preferably the ribbon feeding mechanism is incorporated in the carriage unit. For example it may be arranged on the base before mentioned.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are incorporated in the plural keyboard machines which will now be described as examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dual keyboard machine;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, being to some extent diagrammatic and omitting the carriage for the sake of clarity.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the ma chine;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the carriage locking device;

Figure 5 is a scrap section showing mechanism for locking the carriage down and the handle for lifting and sliding the carriage;

Figure 6 is an end view of the'carriage slide and runway clamped to the top plate, while Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the top plate and associated parts showing the, clamping mechanism;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the top plate, illusfhating the ribbon feeding mechanism;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of part of that mechanism;

Figure 10 is a perspective board machine.

The machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 incorporates two standard keyboard units la, I b'arranged side by side; an even greater number of units may be employed and by way of example Fig. 19 shows a machine having three units I a,

view of a triple key-'- lb, Ic. .Each unit and frame is mechanically identical and therefore it will, ,in general, be

necessary todescribe only those parts which ape it is necessary to identify like parts in the various units, or frames, they are given the same reference. number. with the additionof the. reference letters; b',.or:c as the case may be. Thus for example in Figs. 1 and 2 the keyboards of the two units la, lb are respectively indicated at 5a, 5?).

For each keyboard unit there. is: a-tiaam'ev (such.

as 2a and 2b in Figs. 1 and 2, and 2a, 2b, 20in: Fig. and the frames are connected. to one another, conveniently by means of' longitudinal:

bars 3, A. extending beneath. them.

Each keyboard unit is removable bodily from its frame in a manner already known in connection with Imperial typewriters, being normally located in a suitable cavity such as- 8a,. 6b,;

in the appropriate frame. The locating means is well understood and is clearly shown in Fig. 3

in relation to unit la, and is further illustrated heads [13a or l'3b' capable of striking at a typing station Sc: or T. 5.2); centrally disposed in t'h'eunit, aletter spacing bar l5a or 15?), a backspaoer key [6a or 1th, atabulator key Ha or l-lb, and: a margin release key 18s or 81). Each unit also incorporates a universal bar frame $941 or it!) io'rv operating the. escapement 2i!" hereinafter referred to: Ihis bar frame constitutes the op erating connection hereinbefore referred to and is itself: operableby each of the key and by the: letter spacing. bar in known manner. In Fig. 3 thebar frame lea forthe unit la is shown, illustration-of thelike' parts in unit H) being unnecessary as both keyboard units are identical intheserespects. When a key is struck and the associated type head 53a swung upaboutpivot 9.1a; aheel 9211 on the'type bar 93a strikes and moves the associated universal bar frame I941.

Extending horizontally along the back of the framesia; 2b there is a pivot bar 2 1 and on this bar a carriage unit 22 is pivotally and slidably mounted by a plate. like member 23 which is referred to as a top plate because it is arranged to be-appliedto'thetop of the frame: of any selected one; of the keyboard unit's. By pivotal and slidable movement on the bar- 2!, this top plate-'23 may be brought onto the top of the frame of the selected keyboard unit, and each ofz-theseframes'is provided withappropriate locatin'g; surfaces for locating the plate in" position; bothi against downward movementand against movement lengthwiseof the'bar'Z'I. The surfaces providing location against downward movementare-indicated at M an'd 524 in Fig. 5, and those: providing. locationagainst endwise movementat 125; These" surfaces are disconnected by swinging the top plate 23 up about'the banlh Means 36, Fig. .5; alsoprovides for'lat'ching the top plate 23 in position. This means comprisesa latch'zfia or 25b in each frame and avdepending tongue 2-6 on the top plate. As the top plate 23' is lowered into position the tongue zfiengages an incline 21 on the latch and deflects the latter against a spring bias until the nose '28of'the latch comes opposite a 1101929- in the tongue whereupon. the. nose hooksinto the hole and sofilatches. thatop plate against inadthe tongue 25 attached to it. Thus initial upward movement of the handle disengages the tongue-26 from the latch 25a or 2.51) and further upward movement of the handle raises the top plate 23.

Upward movement of the top plate may be assistedbyat least one spring-loaded plunger 33, .33 onitheframes which plunger bears against the under side of the top plate.

Forguidi'ngthe top plate 23 in its movement along; the. bar 2:! and for ensuring that this movement takes place in such an attitude that the top plate and its associated parts will not foul any of the mechanism associated with the keyboard units, there is an arm which protrudes upwards at each region. between: successive frames? and at its: topcarries. a roller. Thus-in the dual. machine shown in Fig. 1 there is an a-rm..34;. with its ro1ler35, between frames Ere, 21). On. the? front edge of: the top plate 23 there is a; horizontal guide' channel 36 and whenthe top plate is raisedione; endof this guide channel 36 is brought opposite the roller. 35' so: that when the top plate is moved; along its pivot bar 21 by the handle 3! the roller enters. the guide channel; Thereby the top'plate 23 is positioned, during its displacement until the roller 35 emerges from-the other end-of: the'guide channel'tfi'when the top-plate has reached. a position above the next keyboard unit.

The topplate'23. constitutes the base of: carriage unit 22 and it will; therefore-be appreciated that by shifting thetop plate along its pivot bar the carriageunit may bebrought into operative as sociatiom'with any selected. keyboard unit. in the: triple. keyboard machine" shown. in Fig. 10 there is one arm: 34-h between frames 2a, 2b and anarm- 341)" between frames 21), 20, so that top .plate. 23- can only be raised or lowered when it is properly located above one of the three units I-a, Ib-or. lc.

The carriage. unit 22 comprises a horizontal runway 3-1 on'the base-23, a slide 38 reciprocatably mounted on the runway, and a platen rotatably carried by the slide withv its axis horizontal. Therunway 31-1, slide 38 and platen 39 may be constructed as a* unit or carriage it which is removable in known manner from the base 23 so that carriages'with platens of differing lengths may be substituted one for another. For this purpose the carriageunit 22 may incorporatethe'subject matter of British Patents 547,895 and" 548,509.. As best shown in- Figs. 6 and '7, the carriage 49 is removably located by studs or dowels" 4|, 4i, fixed in: the base 23, w-hich,fit-in.-holes;42-, 52!, in'the'runway 37'. These studs-haveheads 4321.43 respectively which protrude through-holes 44','4. l'"in wedges l'l'l, 15, the latter being biased by springs 45, 55, to engage under the heads and. thereby to prevent the carriage 49 being lifted off; When it is" desired to liftthe'carriageioilr the studs 41, M, the wedges are moved inwards; against; the; spring action, by pressureexerted: on press buttons ill, t? until said wedgesdisengage-from thehead's 43 43'.

The carriage unit 22 incor'pcrates all mechanisms commonly foundin association with the carriage'of-atypewriter.- Among" these mechanismsthere isauthe usual carriage traversing mechanism? Thi'svmechanismcomprises a spring 'loaded-spooMson the underside of the-top plate,

adraw band 49 wound thereon and having its end releasably connected to the slide 38 at 59 (which items 48, 49 and 50 are shown in chain dotted lines in Fig. 3), and an escapement 29 for permitting such limited rotation of thespool 48 upon actuation of any key of the operative keyboard unit as will result in the platen 39 being traversed by one letter space. This escapement 28 incorporates a control connection 5| which, by displacement of the carriage unit 22, is brought into operative association with an element 52a or 52b of the universal frame 19a or l9b of the selected keyboard unit, so that when any key of the latter is struck the platen 39 is moved one letter space to the left.

The carriage unit 22 further incorporates ribbon feeding mechanism for feeding a typewriter ribbon 53 at the front of the carriage 40 past a location S which is centrally disposed in the length of the carriage unit 22 and which, when the carriage unit is associated with any selected keyboard unit, coincides with the typing station T. S.a or T. S.b of that keyboard unit.

The ribbon feeding mechanism is of itself of known kind resulting in the ribbon 53 being fed by one letter space each time one of the keys is struck. It conveniently comprises two housings 10, H on the top plate one for a supply spool and another for a take-up spool, together with mechanism for racking the take-up spool around step by step, one step each time a key is struck. Matters may be so arranged that the take-up motion may be applied to either of the spools so that after the used ribbon has been wound up on one spool the latter ceases to become the take-up spool and the take-up motions are applied to the spool from which the ribbon has just been wound so that the ribbon is wound back again. The ribbon-feeding mechanism is mounted on the carriage unit and is operable in each of the alternative positions of that unit by a driver 82a or 82b, in the associated keyboard unit (the driver 82a shown in Figs. 3 and 9 being representative) acting on a pick-up member 83. In known manner, the ribbon-feeding mechanism comprises levers l2, 13, Fig. 8, pivoted at 14, 15 beneath the top plate 23 and arranged to be rocked to rack the ribbon spools. These levers have forks 16 engaged by a pin 1'! on a bar 86 the pivot end of which is hinged at 81 to a lever 84 carrying member 83, lever 84 being pivoted at 85 to the plate 23. Lever 84 also connects by pin 88 with lever 89 operating the usual ribbon guide 90.

Drivers 82a, 82b are rocked in known manner when a key of the associated keyboard 5a, 5b is struck. Considering the operation of 82a as an example, when a key 12a is struck, the latter pivots about pivot 1812, Fig. 3, and a heel 19a on it rocks frame 800. about pivot 81a; driver 82a is an upstanding finger on that frame.

The aforesaid ribbon guide 99 may also be shifted by the colour change lever Maor 941). Pin 88 is carried by link 95 on crank 96 the shaft 91 of which has a second crank 98 with a crank pin 99 arranged to be shifted by either colour change lever. All these parts of the ribbon feeding mechanism are themselves well known.

Reverting to a description of the carriage unit, the carriage 48 may incorporate a line space lever 54, a rack release lever 55, a carriage rack 56, and feed rollers 51, for feeding paper round the platen 39, all arranged in known manner.

The difficulty may arise that when the carrlage unit 22 is being moved from one keyboard unit to another, andparticularly when it reaches the end of its movement, the momentum of the platen 39 may cause the latter to travel end- Wise on its runway. In order to prevent this the carriage unit incorporates mechanism, automatically brought into operation when the top plate 23 and the carriage unit 22 are raised, for locking the platen 39 in position. This mechanism is shown in Fig. 4 and consists of a catch 58 pivoted at 59 on the top plate 23 and caused by spring 69 to engage with the serrations on the tabulating bar or with the serrations of tabulating stops 62 thereon, and a plunger 63 which is slidably arranged on the top plate 23 and ex tends downwards to be engaged by a suitable abutment 64a or 64b on the frame 2a or 217 of the appropriate keyboard unit when the top plate is lowered into position. The plunger 63 is pressed downwards by a return spring 66 and the catch 58 automatically engages to lock the platen against endwise movement.

We claim:

1. A typewriting machine comprising a plurality of keyboard-units each having keys, an escapement-operating element, type bars and typebar mechanism connecting said keys to said escapement-operating element and said type bars; a continuous guideway extending across all the keyboard-units, a carriage slidable along said guideway, latching means for holding said carriage stationary on said guideway opposite any of said keyboard-units, an escapement mechanism on said carriage, a platen carrier slidable along said carriage under control of said escapement mechanism and having a rotatable platen thereon, and a control connection on said carriage associating said escapement mechanism with the escapement-operating element of the particular keyboard-unit opposite which the said carriage is held stationary.

2. A typewriting machine comprising a plurality of keyboard-units each having keys, an escapement-operating element, a driver for a ribbon take-up mechanism, type bars and type-bar mechanism connecting said keys to said escapement-operating element, driver and type bars; a continuous guideway extending across all the keyboard-units, a carriage slidable along said guideway, latching means for holding said carriage stationary on the guideway opposite any one of said keyboard-units, an escapement mechanism on said carriage, a ribbon take-up mechanism on said carriage, a platen carrier slidable along said carriage under control of said escapement mechanism and having a rotatable platen thereon, a control connection on said carriage, associating said escapement mechanism with the escapement-operating member of the particular keyboard-unit opposite which the said carriage is held stationary, and a pick-up member on the said ribbon take-up mechanism associating such mechanism with the ribbon take-up driver of the same keyboard unit.

3. A typewriting machine according to claim 2 having a serrated tabulating bar on said platen carrier, a catch member on the said carriage with spring means urging it into engagement with the tabulating bar, a catch-release member on the carriage and an abutment on each keyboard unit lying in the path of said catch-release member to disengage the catch member from the said bar when the carriage is held stationary by said latching means at its selected positions on the guideway.

4. A typewriting machine comprising a pluralityof side-by-side keyboard-units each having keys; an escapement-operating element, type bars and type-bar mechanism connecting said. keys to said escapement-operating element and said type bars; a continuous guideway extending all the keyboard-units, a carriage hingedly and slidably mounted on said guideway, a spring latch on each keyboard-unit, a latch engaging member on thecarriage to engage the latch of the particular. keyboard-unit opposite which the carriage is locatedwhen the carriage is pivotally lowered, ahandle pivoted on the carriage the up ward movement of which first releases therlatch engaging member from said latch and then pivotally raises the carriage, an escapement mechanism on said carriage, a platen carrier slidable along said carriage under control of said. escapement mechanism and having a rotatable platen thereon, a control connection on said carriage associating said escapement mechanism with the escapement-operating' element of the said particular keyboard-unit, a serrated tabulating bar on said platen carrier, at pivoted spring latch on the carriage to engage serrations on the tabulating bar, a spring plunger mounted on the car-- riage with one end engaging the said latch, and an abutment member on each keyboard-unit in the path of the other end of said plunger as the carriage is pivotally lowered opposite said particular keyboard-unit.

5. A typewriting machine according to claim i, having a guide channel on the carriage and having an upstanding arm between each two-by-side keyboard-units, said arm having a roller on its extremity to enter said channel when the carriage is pivotally raised and slid along the guideway.

6. A typewriting machine comprising a plurality of side-by-side keyboard-units, a guideway extending across all the units, a carriage movable on said guideway to operative positions opposite the respective keyboard-units, a platen carrier slidable on said carriage in the direction of the carriage movement, and means locking theplaten carrier to the carriage when the carriage is moved from an operative positionand releasing the said carrier from the carriage when the carriage is again brought to rest in an operative position.

'77 A typewriting machine comprising a plurality of. side-by-side keyboard-units each having keys, an escapement-operating element, a. driver for a ribbon take-up mechanism, type barsand type-bar mechanismconnecting said. keys .to said escapement-operating element, driver andltype bars; a continuous guideway extending across all the keyboard units, a carriage hingedly and slidably mounted on, said guideway, latching means for holding said carriage stationary on the. guideway opposite any one of said keyboard-units, an escapement mechanism on said carriage, a ribbon take-up mechanism on said carriage, a platen carrier slidable-along saidgcarriage. in the, direction of the carriage movementunder controlof said escapement mechanism and having a rotatable platen; thereon; acontrol connection on said carriage associating? said escapement' mechanism with the escapement-operating member of the particular keyboard-unit opposite whichzthe said carriage is-held stationary, a pick-up member on thesaid ribbon take-up mechanism associating such mechanism with the ribbon take-up driver of the same keyboard-unit, a serrated tabulating baron said platen carrienapivoted spring latch on thecarriage toengageserrations on thetabulatingbar, a spring plunger mounted on the-carriage with one end engaging the said latch, and an abutment member on each keyboardeuniti in the path Otthecotherend of said plunger. as the carriage is pivotally lowered opposite 'saidiparticular keyboardeunit;

8. A typewriting machine comprising a plurality of side-by-side keyboard-units each having keys, an escapement-operating element, a driver for a ribbon take-up mechanism, type barsand type-bar mechanism connecting said keys to said escapement-operating element, driver and type bars; a continuous guideway extending across all the keyboard-units, a carriage hingedly and slidably mounted on said guideway, latching means for holding said carriage stationary on the guideway opposite anyone of said keyboard-units, an escapement mechanism on said carriage, a ribbon take-up mechanism on said carriage, a platen carrier slidable along said carriage in-the direc' tion of the carriage movementunder control of said escapement mechanism and having a rotatable platen thereon, a control connection'on said carriage associating said escapement mechanism with escapement-operating member of the particular keyboard-unit opposite which the said carriage is held stationary, a pick-up member on the said ribbon take-up mechanism associatingsuch mechanism with the ribbon take-up driverof the same keyboard-unit, a serrated tabulatingbar on said platen carrier, a pivoted spring latch on the carriage to engage serrations on the tabulating bar, a spring plunger mounted on the carriage withone end engaging the said latch, and an. abutment member'on each keyboard-unit in the path of the other end of said plunger as the carriage is,v pivotally lowered opposite said particular keyboard-unit, said machine also having. a guide channelontheicarriage and havingpa-n upstanding. arm between each two. side-by-side keyboardeunits, said; arm having a roller, on its extremity to enter said channel when the carriage is pivotally raised and slid-alongrtheeguideway.

CLAUDE W ELLINGTON BRUMHILL. ARTHUR PATEMAN.

ReferencesGited in-the'file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 1,151,730, Smith Augix31, 1915 1,349,864 Waldheim; Aug. 17, 1920 

